Power system for a telecommunications facility

• US 7,615,875 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, Larry L., Henneberg, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks; Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/670,585
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1
• US Class Current: 290/1.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/407 Combination of fuel cells with mechanical energy generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04604 Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2495 of fuel cells of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A reliable power supply solution for a telecommunications site or facility provides a combined primary and backup source of electrical power. One aspect of the solution takes the form of a power system delivering power redundantly via a first fuel cell device and a second fuel cell device, both devices producing DC electrical power. The first fuel cell device may be configured to provide a steady state supply of DC electrical power to meet the demands of multiple types of telecommunications equipment at the facility, while the second fuel cell device may be configured to provide a more limited amount of DC electrical power specifically for continuous operation of one type of telecommunication circuitry component, such as a programmable logic circuit.

Claims

1. A power system that provides redundant power delivery to a telecommunications facility, comprising:

a first fuel cell device operable to generate DC electrical power; and

a second fuel cell device adapted to receive a supply of methanol fuel and consume the methanol fuel to generate DC electrical power,

(1) wherein the second fuel cell device is electrically coupled with a programmable logic circuit that monitors an operation of the telecommunication facility,

(2) wherein the second fuel cell device is operable, upon the power system sensing that insufficient power is being supplied to the telecommunications facility, to provide DC power directly to the programmable logic circuit to facilitate time stamped data collection, and

(3) wherein the first fuel cell device and the second fuel cell device are different types of fuel cell devices.

2. The power system of claim 1, wherein the first fuel cell device receives incoming AC electrical power in a charging mode at an input and supplies DC electrical power in a discharging mode at an output such that current measured at the output exceeds the current measured at the input.

3. The power system of claim 2, wherein the first fuel cell device is a zinc based fuel cell.

4. The power system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third device operable to supply AC electrical power; and

a rectifier operable to convert the AC electrical power from the third device to DC electrical power.

5. The power system of claim 4, wherein the third device comprises a microturbine generator.

6. The power system of claim 1, further comprising a DC bus adapted for selective electrical coupling with the first fuel cell device, the second fuel cell device and the programmable logic circuit.

7. The power system of claim 6, wherein the DC bus is further adapted for electrical coupling with a base transceiver system.

8. A method for supplying power redundantly to a telecommunications site, comprising:

providing AC electrical power from a microturbine generator powered by one or more of utility-supplied natural gas and locally supplied natural gas;

upon sensing that insufficient power is being supplied to the telecommunications site from the microtrubine generator, providing AC electrical power from a commercial utility provider;

upon sensing that insufficient power is being supplied to the telecommunications site from the commercial utility provider, providing DC electrical power from a zinc-based fuel cell device;

upon sensing that insufficient power is being supplied to the telecommunications site from the zinc-based fuel cell device, providing DC power from a lithium metal polymer battery, wherein the lithium metal polymer battery is also configured to provide power to the telecommunications site during transition from one source of power to another source of power; and

upon sensing that insufficient power is being supplied to the telecommunications site from the lithium metal polymer battery, providing DC power from a methanol-type fuel cell device directly to a programmable logic circuit to facilitate time stamped data collection.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising converting the AC electrical power to DC electrical power for supply to the set of telecommunications equipment.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing a DC bus adapted for electrical coupling with the zinc-based fuel cell device the methanol-type fuel cell device, and the programmable logic circuit, wherein the step of providing DC electrical power from the methanol-type fuel cell device includes providing DC electrical power to the programmable logic circuit directly from the methanol-type fuel cell device, thereby bypassing the DC bus.

11. A power system for a telecommunications facility providing redundant power delivery, comprising:

a microturbine generator powered by at least one of utility-supplied natural gas and natural gas from locally-stored tanks;

a zinc-based fuel cell device operable to generate DC electrical power;

a lithium metal polymer battery operable to provide transitional DC electrical power between operation of the microturbine generator and operation of the zinc-based fuel cell;

a methanol-type fuel cell device adapted to receive a supply of methanol fuel and consume the methanol fuel to generate DC electrical power;

a DC bus; and

power circuitry adapted to selectively electrically couple the DC bus with the zinc-based fuel cell device, the methanol-type fuel cell device and a first telecommunications circuitry component, and to selectively electrically couple the methanol-type fuel cell device directly with the first telecommunications circuitry, thereby bypassing the DC bus.

12. The power system of claim 11, further comprising a rectifier operable receive AC electrical power from the microturbine generator at an input and to convert the received AC electrical power to DC electrical power at an output, wherein the power circuitry is adapted to selectively electrically couple the DC bus with the rectifier.

13. The power system of claim 11, wherein the power circuitry is adapted to selectively electrically couple the DC bus with a base transceiver system.

14. The power system of claim 11, further comprising:

an energy storage device operable to supply DC electrical power;

wherein power circuitry is adapted to selectively electrically couple the DC bus with the energy storage device.